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Monday, January 25, 2021

What Crisco Has to Do with Cold & Dry Winter Air

This season of cold outdoor air and heated indoor air does a number on my skin and nails. When the cuticles on one of my fingers began to split and peel the other day, I was reminded of a very frugal and effective tip that came from my dermatologist many years ago. 

I was in the midst of my first winter in a cold and dry climate and my lips were cracked and the cuticles around my fingernails were splitting. My dermatologist shared what she'd been using on her hands since her internship. Even before COVID, medical personnel were known for frequent hand washing. My dermatologists hands were so dry and irritated from all of the washing that one of the nurses told her about "Cream C," other wise known as Crisco shortening, to use as a barrier cream on dry skin.

This is how much shortening I use for both hands,
front and back, around fingernails, and up past my wrists


To this day, I follow that frugal advice from my dermatologist. After I wash my hands, I pat them dry, but don't dry them completely. I then put a tiny dab of store-brand vegetable shortening (and I mean tiny) on one finger and rub it all over my hands, fingers and tips, around the nails, and up my sleeve a few inches. The key is to do this right after washing/patting dry (so that there's some moisture to lock in) and use so little that your palms don't feel greasy. (If I do put too much on and find my palms have the slightest feeling of shortening, I wipe my palms on a towel.)

I also use shortening as a lip balm before bed and on cracked heels (covered with socks) a couple of times per month. Shortening has got to be the cheapest beauty product that I use. 

The other aspect of using shortening that I appreciate is that it's food-grade and fragrance-free. When I'm working in the kitchen, the last thing I want to do is handle food after using a fragranced hand cream. That just sounds like ick to me.

So, that's my frugal beauty tip for this mid-winter day -- a little Cream C for dry hands, cracked heels, and dry lips.


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